Chris Walker
ETT Senior Training Officer
Chris has worked with the Electrical Training Trust since October 2000; leaving industry to extend his career into training. Having worked on mainly large and industrial construction sites for nearly 18 years, he found the different working life and move into training took some adjustment time.
Chris served his apprenticeship with a large electrical contractor; he enjoyed very good training through the training centre and on site with colleagues, who took time to help him gain the required experience to achieve his electrician grading. He progressed over the years and took charge of various projects from small maintenance jobs to very large multi-million pound projects. The variety of situations his work brought forward has stood by him on many occasions.
Within ETT, Chris is the Senior Training Officer, working with a team of Training Officers to manage the Electrical ApprenticeshipsNI Programme in Northern Ireland. At present he directly manages all apprentices in the Newtownabbey and Newtownards areas, where he oversees the apprentices' training from first year through to completion of their apprenticeship. This involves monitoring in college and on site, along with NVQ assessment - directly observing the apprentice on site working competently.
ETT have moved from paper based NVQ assessment to e-Portfolio assessment using OneFile and Chris is the Centre Manager controlling the development and structure of this new way of recording NVQ evidence.
Chris states that “with a team of full-time assessors and associates we have standardised the recording of evidence and we promote an approach to the portfolio building in a way that we believe meets the National Occupational Standards.”
Chris is also the Internal Verifier and this quality assurance role means he is required to ensure that all awards in the centre are delivered and assessed as-per the required standards.
Recently Chris has worked with City & Guilds on the development and restructuring of electrical qualifications which will be introduced from September 2010. This involved looking at assessment strategies and the delivery programmes for Electrical Apprenticeship Training in-line with the new QCF framework.
Blog Posts from this Expert
by Chris Walker on 14 March 2013 The Electrical Safety Council (ESC) says one person is killed every seven days by an electrical accident and 350,000 people are injured annually, partly because of a "shockingly low" response to product alerts.
by Chris Walker on 04 February 2013 Confusion and uncertainty may exist for electrical installation contractors.
by Chris Walker on 18 October 2012 This document has been developed in consultation with ETT staff and our electrical apprentices. The code of conduct is a guide to inform what we expect from apprentices attending ETT and college. Our principal aim is to help achieve the apprentice goal of becoming a fully qualified electrician.
by Chris Walker on 05 September 2012 The Health & Safety Executive reports that, each year, about 1,000 accidents at work involve electric shock or burns, with around 30 of these fatal.
by Chris Walker on 30 May 2012 Are you an electrical worker with no electrical qualifications? Or do you have an incomplete electrical qualification? Do you need to update your current qualifications? Have you been thinking about upgrading from the role of helper or labourer to that of a qualified electrician?
by Chris Walker on 02 April 2012 Are you missing anything? Are you fully qualified? Are you employed and unqualified? Are you in need of credentials? Are you presently out of work and unqualified? Do you employ an unqualified electrician or an electrical worker?
by Chris Walker on 02 April 2012 Karl Arkins, a practising operative electrician gained his NVQ Level 3 Electrotenchinal Services - Electrical Installation (Building and Structure) 30 years after starting his electrical apprenticeship in 1978.
What level are ETT apprentice electricians trained to?
Which qualifications should an electrician have?
How do you keep up-to-date?
Updated Version!
by Chris Walker on 19 September 2011 Starting your Electrical Apprenticeship this year?
Book your place on the bus to attend the induction days
by Chris Walker on 12 September 2011 Late payments, delayed payments, bartering the value out of a few valuable extras... Knowing about Contract Law will give you the knowledge you need; what forms a contract, what to look out for and how to poke a croc in the eye if it comes to it...
by Chris Walker on 07 June 2011 ETT were quite surprised recently when we discovered how many members of our industry use iPhones, iPods and iPads to access the Internet.
Similar to the boom in Nokia mobiles during the 90's, it appears that Apple products are everywhere.
So if you have one of these gadgets, how can you make it work harder for you? We've tracked down some of the latest apps you might find useful...
by Chris Walker on 27 April 2011 The Practising Operative APL (Accreditation of Prior Learning) route is an alternative to the traditional apprenticeship programme and one that provides a second chance for the unqualified electrician to gain that essential nationally recognised qualification.
by Chris Walker on 25 March 2011 Some advice and tips to help you when recruiting and selecting your Apprentice Electrician!
by Chris Walker on 02 March 2011 The IEE 17th Edition Wiring Regulations are produced by the Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET), distinguished by its red cover; they are the national standard to which all domestic and industrial wiring must conform.
They are a mandatory qualification for anyone wishing to complete the City & Guilds 2391 Inspection and Testing qualification or to apply for a JIB Grading Card.
by Chris Walker on 26 January 2011 Fed up waiting on uploading files to OneFile?
Wish you could upload your photos straight from your phone?
Look no further, all OneFile electrical apprentice users out there read on...
Free "OneFile Uploader User Guide" Download at end of article.
by Chris Walker on 04 November 2010 Following the OneFile introduction evenings held last month for third year electrical apprentices, you should be aware that ETT has invested in your future with the new e-Portfolio, OneFile.
by Chris Walker on 19 October 2010 On Friday the 15th of October 2010 the Rotary Club, Ballymena, held a Charity Golf Tournament at Galgorm Castle...